MARIETTA — State Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan (D-Austell) will not be moving forward in her bid for state school superintendent.

Morgan ran for the seat instead of seeking re-election to Georgia’s 39th district. Erica Thomas, who lives in Austell, won the most votes to replace Morgan in the May 20 primary. There was no Republican challenger.

The superintendent’s position opened after John Barge mounted an unsuccessful challenge against incumbent Gov. Nathan Deal. Fifteen Republican and Democratic candidates sought to replace Barge, with no one candidate garnering more than 50 percent of the vote.

Morgan and former Decatur School Board Chairwoman Valarie Wilson received the most votes in May on the Democratic ticket.

For the GOP runoff, Michael Buck, the chief academic officer for the state Department of Education, went against longtime Irwin County educator Richard Woods.

With 157 of 159 counties reporting at press time, Wilson received 73,423 votes, or 54 percent of the vote.

Morgan had 61,575 votes, or 46 percent.

On the GOP ticket, both candidates had 50 percent of the vote, with Woods ahead with 199,071 votes to Buck’s 198,343.

Wilson and the Republican winner will face off in the general election Nov. 4.

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